Knitting machine



Sept. 1, 1953 Filed May 26, 1950 A. SHORTLAND KNITTING MACHINE 5 Sheet s-Sheet 1 Inventor Sept. 1, 1953 A. SHORTLAND KNITTING MACHINE 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed May 26, 1950 In veniow 19PM Sept. 1, 1953 AQSHORTLAND KNITTING MACHINE 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed May 26, 1950 Patented Sept. l, 1953 KNITTING MACHINE Arthur Shortland, Leicester, England, assignor to Mellor Bromley & Co. Limited, Leicester, England, a British company Application May 26, 1950, Serial No. 164,380

In Great Britain April 7, 1949 12 Claims.

This invention relates to knitting machines, and has reference particularly to fabric drawingofi mechanism applied to such machines for exerting a pull on the fabric as knitted to enable the loops to be cast off with certainty.

A mechanism of this character is sometimes referred to as a take-down or even a take-up mechanism, and most commonly comprises a pair of cooperating rollers adapted at a given tension to draw off the fabric as knitted. The fabric so drawn off is sometimes allowed to accumulate in a fabric can, although in some instances it is subsequently wound or rolled up by a separate mechanism to facilitate its ultimate removal from the machine.

The invention is principally intended for application to circular knitting machines of relatively large diameters adapted to produce tubular body fabric, although it is not necessarily limited in this respect.

The object of the invention is to provide, in a knitting machine, an improved and efficient fabric drawing-off mechanism of a novel and simple construction which will be particularly advantageous in a circular knitting machine adapted to produce tubular body fabric.

Broadly considered, the improved fabric drawing-off mechanism comprises individual rollers which are furnished with peripheral projections adapted positively to engage fabric to be drawn off.

The peripheral projections may conveniently be axially spaced and are preferably of pointed formation i. e. in the nature of small spikes adapted to mesh with the fabric.

In a convenient embodiment of the invention, the drawing-off rollers are so arranged and individually operable as to be adapted to exert an intermittent pull on the fabric at a desired tension. In this embodiment the said rollers draw off the engaged fabric at a given tension in anappropriate direction away from the needles of the knitting machine-in a regular succession of steady pulls suitably timed in accordance with the rate of knitting.

In order thatthe invention may be more clearly understood and readily carried into practical effeet, a specific constructional example of the improved fabric drawing-off mechanism as ap-- plied to a circular knitting machine of the rotary cylinder and dial type adapted to produce tubular body fabric will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein,

Figure 1 is a vertical sectional view, partly in outside elevation, aim much of the said machine 2 as is necessary to illustrate the application thereto of the improved fabric drawing-off mechanism,

Figure la is a view generally similar to Figure 1 of the remainder of the machine.

Figure 2 is a sectional plan View of the said mechanism taken on the line 2-2 of Figures 1 and la.

Figure 3 is a detail plan view drawn to a larger scale than Figures 1 and 2, and showing more clearly one of the individual drawing-off rollers per se, and

Figure 4 is a detail view, as seen in the direction of the arrow A in Figure 1, illustrating the means provided for adjusting the tension of the spring for controlling the fulcrumed lever upon which one of the fabric drawing-oft: rollers is mounted.

Like parts are designated by similar reference characters throughout the drawings.

In the machine illustrated the needle dial I is horizontally disposed and keyed to a sleeve 2 which is rotatable about a fixed vertical spindle 3. Screwed onto the lower end of the sleeve 2 so as to rotate therewith about the fixed vertical spindle 3 is a depending sleeve extension 4. To the lower end of the sleeve extension 4 is rigidly secured a peripherally flanged hub 5 which is drilled at a plurality of uniformly spaced points therearound to receive the inner ends of radiating carrier rods 6. These rods are adjustable radially within the hub 5 and eachrod 6 has secured to its outer end a bracket 1 in which is fulcrumed a bell-crank lever 8. One arm 8a of each lever 8 extends outwards, whilst the other arm 81) extends downwards. The outer end portion of the outwardly extending arm 8a of each bell crank lever 8 is downwardly inclined with respect to the remainder of the arm and is connected to one end of a tension spring 9 the opposite end of which latter is anchored to an adjusting screw Ill fitted in a depending forked portion Ia of the corresponding bracket 1. Each tension spring 9 is outwardly inclined with respect to the central axis a of the machine, and the lower end of the said spring is located between the depending spaced limbs of the forked portion la of the bracket 1. As shown more clearly in Figure 1, the screws [0 for adjusting the tension of the springs 9 are engaged in manually rotatable nuts II fitted in the depending forked portion la of the brackets I, and each nut H is formed with peripheral teeth Ha; adapted for engagement, and to be set in position after adjustment, by a part [2a (Figure 4) of or on a spring blade l2 attached to one side of the rele- 3 vant forked portion. In this way, the tension springs 9 can be uniformly tensioned, in conformity with the rate of knitting, by appropriate manipulation of the nuts I I.

Secured by means of small bolts or screws It and nuts 14 to the outwardly extending arm 8a of each bell-crank lever 8 is a carrier fork It in which is mounted a horizontally disposed peripherally spiked drawing-off roller it arranged, as shown in Figure 2, with its axis at right angles to that of the corresponding carrier rods 5. As depicted in detail in Figure 3, each drawing-off roller 16 consists of an assemblage of peripherally spiked thin discs I! spaced apart axially by interposed collars [8, the whole being clamped together upon a spindle l9 mounted within bearings in the carrier fork Iii for rotation in one direction only. In this connection there is attached to one end of each drawing-off roller It a ratchet wheel 29 adapted for co-operation with a back-stop pawl or detent 2| which is influenced by a spring 22 and mounted on the inner side of the adjacent limb 25a of the carrier fork l5.

The construction and arrangement so far described are such that by pressing the downwardly extending arms 8b of the bell-crank levers simultaneously outwards, i. e. away from the central axis a of the machine, the said levers will be turned on their pivots 23 against the action of the tension springs 9 and the drawing-off rollers I6 will be moved simultaneously upwards towards the needles 2s and 25 of the machine. The drawing-off rollers It, being free to rotate when moved upwards, will roll idly over the inside of the knitted tube T. Conversely, release of the bell-crank levers 3 will permit them to return to their original positions under the reaction of the springs 9, the drawingoff rollers l6, now held against rotation by cooperation of the back-stop pawls or detents 2| with the ratchet wheels 2!), being moved bodily downwards away from the needles, without turning, to draw off the engaged fabric.

As will be appreciated from a consideration of Figure 2, the individual drawing-off rollers l6 are, as hereinbefore mentioned spaced apart in a circle for engagement with the fabric from the inside of the knitted tube T.

For effecting and controlling the simultaneous movements of the bell-crank levers 8 alternately against and under the action of the tension springs 9, there is or are provided a relatively stationary cam roller or rollers such as 2%, disposed in a horizontal plane and arranged for action upon the lower ends of the depending arms 8b of the said levers. In the example illustrated there are two cam rollers 26 spaced 180 apart. There may, however, be three or more equiangularly spaced. Four spaced 90 apart would, for most practical purposes, be a maximum. As shown in Figure l, the cam rollers 25 are freely revoluble about vertical axle pins 21 fixed in brackets 28 which are in turn secured upon the outer ends of further carrier rods 29. The rods 29 radiate from, and are adjustable radially Within, a hub part 30 rigidly secured upon the lower end of the fixed vertical spindle 3. The cam rollers 26 are set with their peripheries on a circle C (Figure 2) of greater radius than the distance between the central axis a of the machine and the rear edge of the depending arm 81) of any one bell-crank lever 8. Accordingly, during each successive revolution of the machine, the bell-crank levers B will be oscillated twice (or more times according to the number of cam rollers provided), these oscillations resulting in the exertion of successive yielding pulls on the fabric, as knitted, at a tension determined by the adjustment of the springs 9. The degree of oscillation of the bell-crank levers 8 and hence the extent of the movements of the drawing-off rollers 16 towards and away from the needles 24 and 25 of the machine depend on the radial setting of the cam rollers 26.

In a machine wherein the cylinder and the dial are stationary and the cam box and the dial cam cap rotate, the hereinbefore described arrangement would be reversed; that is to say the carrier rods 6 for the bell-crank lever brackets I would be stationary, whilst the hub part 30 carrying the cam rollers 26 would be arranged to rotate in unison with the cam box 3| and the dial cam cap 32.

It is also within the broad scope of the invention to apply the improved fabric drawing-off mechanism to a fiat knitting machine, in which instance the mechanism would include either a single peripherally spiked or equivalent drawingoff roller or a plurality of such rollers arranged in axial alignment.

In the specific example illustrated, the needle dial I, the sleeve 2, the sleeve extension 4, the hub 39 and the associated carrier means for the cam rollers 25, are all driven from, and in unison with, the needle cylinder 33 through the medium of gearing, 34, 35, 3t and 31.

What I claim then is:

1. In a knitting machine, fabric drawing-off mechanism including individual rollers having axially spaced peripheral projections of pointed. formation adapted to mesh with fabric to be drawn 01?, members upon which the said drawing-off rollers are mounted for rotation in one direction only, means for moving the said members alternately towards the knitting needles so that the drawing-off rollers roll idly over the engaged fabric in this direction, and away from the needles to cause the said rollers, without rotating, to move bodily to exert a pull on the fabric for the purpose of drawing the latter off the machine.

In a knitting machine, fabric drawing-01f mechanism including individual rollers having axially spaced peripheral projections of pointed formation adapted to mesh with fabric to be drawn ofi, fulcrumed levers upon which the said drawn-off rollers are mounted, for rotation in one direction only, springs for controlling the fulcrumed levers, and cam means for moving the levers against the spring action in a direction towards the needles, the arrangement being such that the levers are first moved by the cam means in the aforesaid direction during which movement the rollers are free to rotate idly over the engaged fabric, and then permitted to move in the reverse direction under the spring action, with the rollers held from rotation, so that the said rollers exert a pull on the fabric for the purpose of drawing the latter off the machine, these movements taking place alternately and regularly as knitting proceeds.

3. In a circular knitting machine equipped with a rotary needle cylinder and adapted to produce tubular knitted fabric, fabric drawingoff mechanism including, in combination, a plurality of individual rollers having axially spaced peripheral projections of pointed formation adapted to mesh with fabric to be drawn off, the said drawing ofi rollers being spaced apart in a circle and adapted to enga e :the fabric :from

the :inside of the knitted -tube suchwise as to hold athelatter opensas .theifabricis progressively drawn off the machine, members upon which the drawing-off rollerszare mounted, for rotation in one direction only, means for moving the said members alternately towards the knitting needles so that the drawing-off rollers :roll idly over the engaged fabric in this direction, and away from the needles to cause thesaid rollers, without'rotating, to move bodily .to exert a ,pullon the fabric for the purposeof drawin the latter off the machine, and carriers for the members upon which'the rollers are mounted, thesaid carriers being arranged to revolve in unison with the rotary needle cylinder.

4. :In a circular knitting machine equipped with a rotary needle cylinder :and adapted to produce tubular knitted fabric, fabric drawingofi mechanism comprising, in combination, a plurality of individual rollers having axially spaced peripheral projections of pointed formation adapted to mesh with fabric to be drawn off, the said drawing-oil": rollers being spaced apart in a circle and adapted to engage the fabric from the inside of the knitted tube suchwise as to hold the latter open as the fabric is progressively drawn off the machine, carrier parts in which the drawing-off rollers are mounted, for rotation in one direction only, bell-crank levers upon which the said carrier parts are provided, brackets in which the bell-crank levers are fulcrumed, a hub from which the said brackets are supported, a sleeve which carries the hub and is rotatable in unison with the rotary needle cylinder, a fixed central spindle about which the sleeve rotates, springs for controlling the fulcrumed bell-crank levers, and cam means for moving the said levers against the spring action in a direction towards the needles, the arrangement being such that the levers are first moved by the cam means in the aforesaid direction during which movement the rollers are free to rotate idly over the engaged fabric, and then permitted to move in the reverse direction under the spring action, with the rollers held from rotation, so that the said rollers exert a pull on the fabric for the purpose of drawing the latter off the machine, these movements taking place alternately and regularly as knitting proceeds.

5. In a circular knitting machine, fabric drawing-off mechanism according to claim 4, wherein the arm of each bell-crank lever on which the corresponding roller carrier part is provided extends outwards whilst the other arm of the said lever extends downwards, a tension spring being anchored at one end to the said outwardly ex-- tending arm and at its opposite end to an adjusting screw fitted in a depending portion of the corresponding bracket.

6. In a circular knitting machine, fabric drawing-off mechanism according to claim 4, wherein the brackets in which the bell-crank levers are fulcrumed are adjustable radially with respect to the central spindle.

7. In a knitting machine, fabric drawing-off mechanism including individual rollers each consisting of an assemblage of peripherally spiked discs spaced apart axially by interposed collars, spindles upon which the said assemblages are mounted, carriers in which the spindles are arranged to rotate, the said rollers being adapted to mesh with fabric to be drawn off, and means for operating the said rollers individually so as to exert a pull on the engaged fabric.

ilk-In :a :knitting machine, fabric drawing-off mechanism iincluding :individual rollers :havinz axially spaced :peripheral projections of pointed formation adapted "to .mesh "with fabric to :be drawn off, fulcrumed levers upon which'thezsaid drawmgeoff :rollers :are amounted, :ratchet wheels attached "to the rollers, spring-"influenced back stop -:detents :arranged to co-operate with "the ratchetwheels ainlsuch .a way that ftheirollers are permitted :to rotate :in one :direction only, springs for ccontrolling the fulcrumed levers, and cam means :for moving the levers against the spring action in a :direction towards the needles, the arrangement being such that th'e levers are first moved by the cam means in thezaforesaid direction a during which movement th'e rollers are free to :rotateidly over the engaged fabricgand then permitted :to move I in the reverse direction under the spring action, with the rollers held from rotation so that the said rollers exert a pull on the fabric for the purpose ofdrawing the latter off the machine, these movements taking place alternately and regularly as knitting proceeds.

9. In a circular knitting machine equipped with a rotary needle cylinder and adapted to produce tubular knitted fabric, fabric drawing-oi mechanism comprising, in combination, a plurality of individual rollers having axially spaced peripheral projections of pointed formation adapted to mesh with fabric to be drawn off, the said drawing-off rollers being spaced apart in a circle and adapted to engage the fabric from the inside of the knitted tube suchwise as to hold the latter open as the fabric is progressively drawn off the machine, carrier parts in which the drawing-off rollers are mounted, means adapted to permit of rotation of the rollers in one direction only, bell-crank levers upon which the said carrier parts are provided, brackets in which the bell-crank levers are fulcrumed, the arm of each bell-crank lever on which the corresponding roller carrier part is provided extending outwards whilst the other arm of the lever extends downwards, tension springs each of which is anchored at one end to the outwardly extending arm of the corresponding bell-crank lever and at the other end to the lever bracket, a hub from which the said brackets are supported, a sleeve which carries the hub and is rotatable in unison with the rotary needle cylinder, a fixed central spindle about which the sleeve rotates, and stationary cam rollers arranged for action upon the depending arms of the bell-crank levers for moving said levers against the spring action in a direction towards the needles, the arrangement being such that the levers are first moved by the cam means in the aforesaid direction during which movement the rollers are free to rotate idly over the engaged fabric, and then permitted to move in the reverse direction under the spring action, with the rollers held from rotation, so that the said rollers exert a pull on the fabric for the purpose of drawing the latter off the machine, these movements taking place alternately and regularly as knitting proceeds.

10. In a circular knitting machine, fabric drawing-off mechanism according to claim 9, wherein each cam roller is freely revoluble about an axle pin fixed in a bracket which is supported from means secured upon the fixed central spindle.

11. In a knitting machine, fabric drawing-off mechanism including single rollers having axially spaced peripheral projections of pointed formation adapted to penetrate and mesh with fabric to be drawn off, and means for operating the said 7 drawing-oil rollers individually so that they alternately roll idly over the engaged fabric in one direction and move bodily without rotating in the opposite direction so as to exert a pull on the fabric.

12. In a circulating knitting machine, fabric drawing-01f mechanism as defined and claimed by claim 4 further characterized in that the arm of each bell crank lever on which the corresponding roller carrier part is provided extends outwards whilst the other arm of said lever extends downwards, a tension spring being anchored at one end to the said outwardly extending arm and at its opposite end to an adjusting screw fitted in a depending portion of the corresponding bracket, the screws for adjusting the tension springs being engaged in manually rotatable nuts each of which is formed with peripheral teeth 8 adapted for engagement, and to be set in position after adjustment, by a part of a spring blade attached to the corresponding bracket, for the purpose specified.

ARTHUR SHOR'I'LAND.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 513,441 Rightmire Jan. 23, 1894 781,253 Whitcomb Jan. 31, 1905 2,037,282 Stafford Apr. 14, 1936 2,137,362 Smith Nov. 22, 1938 2,486,179 Kuehnel Oct. 25, 1949 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 619,776 Germany Oct. 12, 1935 

